Fortune Favors the Bold
by LadyLoyal
Summary: My first attempt at fanfic. Dean Winchester must step up the be CEO of a major weapon systems corporation while dealing with the death of his Father. Rated M for language and future chapters.    Dean/OC
1. Chapter 1

Days like this always seem to last forever. I hung up the phone after finalizing the last of Mr. Winchester's schedule for tomorrow & Wednesday. Wednesday…the day we'd bury his father. Twenty-four hours hadn't even passed yet since his death but influence and money get things done quickly. I shut down my computer & grabbed the updated itinerary & phone messages I had for Dean, Mr. Winchester. I already knew he wouldn't return 90% of the calls & had written the best non-generic "thank you for your condolences" cards I could manage.

Standing, I faced the large decorative mirror behind my desk and smoothed a makeup line under my left eye and tucked the wisp of hair behind my left ear that had fallen out of my messy bun. I straightened my black pencil skirt & white blouse then with a large sigh I walked towards Dean's office. I knocked lightly even though he had to know it was me. No one else would still be in the office at 9 pm, no one who had a family to go home to at least. Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed about it. I wanted a successful career before I even considered meeting someone & settling down. I have no intentions of being a stay at home wife to anyone.

"Come in" Mr. Winchester's deep baritone voice rasps. I push the door forward and notice he is sitting in his oversized leather desk chair facing the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. "If you're ready, I have tomorrow's schedule to go over" I say as I walk towards the middle of the room. "Sure, Danielle…Let's do this" he begrudgingly huffs as he turns his chair & stands to walk towards the sitting area in his office.

I now notice he's holding a mostly empty glass of what I can safely assume is whiskey. He must have caught my eyes shift towards his glass because he lightly shakes it, "fill me up"? I smile & nod as I reach for the glass. "Make you one too" he instructs as I walk towards the bar. I feel his gaze on me momentarily and suddenly feel very self conscious. This man just lost his Father, the man whose footsteps he followed, who turned him into the man he is today, a man who was loved but also feared. John Winchester had his flaws and Dean Winchester knew this better than anyone else.

The fragility of the situation hits me and I remind myself to choose my words carefully. Our usual banter just doesn't seem appropiate. In the 4 years I've worked for SPN Weapons Systems, a year directly for Dean, I've seen how much John Winchester controls every move and decision this company makes. John could have stepped down from CEO years ago, taken his retirement package, bought a small island and never had another care in the world. After the death of his wife work was all he had left, I think. So he stayed in charge, came into the office six days a week, sometime seven and made Dean do the same.

I walk back to the thick, mahogany leather couch and drop the filled glass in front of Dean, take a seat, then take a long swallow of my drink, Johnnie Walker Blue King George whiskey, around $540 a bottle. This shit is good.

"I tried to keep tomorrow from being too hectic but I'm scared I wasn't very successful" I say as Dean peruses the timeline. Sitting this close to him I'm hit with a stronger smell of liquor. He's obviously had more than one glass already. However I can still lightly smell his normal cologne, like spice & oak."It is what it is" he spits out between sips of whiskey. I gulp mine again and struggle for the right words. Silence befits me instead. Placing the sheet down on the coffee table Dean laughs, "Go figure the man would run my life even after his death". I give him a half smile and a short huff of amusement. Suddenly he drops his head in his hands, his elbows rested on his knees as he leans forward. "How am I going to do this?" he asks and I don't know if he's talking about tomorrow or running the company alone. I suppose either way my answer is close to the same. "You'll find a way." I pause then softly add "Don't be afraid of failing…because you won't. It's impossible". He snorts and looks up over his fingertips. His eyes are glassy and I know he needs to quit drinking. The answers he is looking for aren't at the bottom of that bottle.

I silently stand and grab his glass from the table and start to walk by when he surprises me grabbing my wrist and whispering "Wait". At first I think he's going to fight me on not drinking anymore but instead he opens my palm and places a light kiss in the middle of my palm then holds it firmly to his own cheek. Tears pool in my eyes as I realize he's desperate for some sort of comfort. I place his glass back on the table. I'm trying to swallow the lump in my throat but my mouth is dry. Swallowing all sense of proprietary along with along with any fears of consequences, I step in between his parted legs. Removing my hand from his cheek, I wrap both arms around his shoulders. He doesn't even look up at me but instead wraps both arms around me and pushes his face hard into my eye level stomach. His breath is hot through my thin blouse and I can't resist the urge of running one of my hands through the back of his hair. My emotions are torn somewhere between lust and the need to protect Dean from his own demons.

Seconds, minutes pass and Dean finally turns his head to the side but squeezes his arms tighter. I slowly start to slide downward, positioning myself to where I am sitting on his right leg. His head is tucked under mine, pressed against my chest as we slump down together against the back of the couch. He doesn't let me go, his grip ever relentless. I don't know what I'm doing but I know I want to be here as long as he needs me, however he needs me.

Sitting in silence I finally hear his breathing even out. He's asleep. I could try to wiggle out now but instead I stay, close my own eyes and give in to exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun beginning to peak over the skyline wakes me up. We've managed to slide down lengthwise on the couch during the night. Dean is behind me, his right arm under my head, his face pushed into my dark hair that's fallen loose. I can feel his breath on my neck and for a moment I just lay there and enjoy it and the excitement that comes along with doing something you know you shouldn't do. The fact Dean Winchester is a sex god of a man I could never even hope to bag does not escape me. His left arm is draped around my hip and I realize my skirt has ridden up high during the night to around my waist. My black hipster panties are on show for the world.

Panic hits me for the first time. People cannot see me leaving an executive's office looking like I've had a midnight tryst. I've worked too hard to have it taken all away & my reputation ruined. I slowly twist out from Dean's warm embrace. He stirs and for a moment I'm scared he'll wake then I'll be forced to speak to him. What do you say after something like this? He was alone & hurting, otherwise he wouldn't have touched me with a 10 foot pole, regardless of my being his subordinate.

I slip out the door and grab my bag and keys. I have to get showered & changed & pick up a change of clothes for Dean before 7 am. Luckily my loft is nearby. As I undress at home, I notice I can still smell the mixture of alcohol & Dean on my shirt. Greedily, I press the shirt to my face & inhale. It's delicious but yet it makes my heart hurt. "Please don't let him replace me with another assistant because of this" I beg the heavens. I use the shower as a baptismal of sorts, washing away the one night that will never happen again. I can't wash away the traces of guilt I feel though as I know I took advantage of Dean in a moment of weakness.

He could acknowledge what happened and I'd have to sit through a mortifying talk regarding last night or he could act like it never was and I'll go back to ordering flowers & making dinner reservations for his endless list of air head girls. My stomach turns. He could be worried I'll sue for harassment & demote me back to finance coordinator or worse yet he'll sue me for harassment & my name will be forever tarnished.

I tell myself to calm down as I dry off. I can't change anything now. All I can do I try to deal with whatever comes my way as best as possible. I'll do my job perfectly and remind him why I'm the best assistant he's ever had again.

I slip into a long sleeve, navy, knit dress and pull my naturally curly hair half up before rushing out the door. Fortunately, the dry cleaner Mr. Winchester uses is 24 hours. There should be something in his cleaning perfect for him to wear today and he can shower in his office ensuite.

Making it back to SPN I hold my breath as I peak in his office door. Thank God he's still asleep. I tiptoe across the floor to lay out the clothes in the chair adjacent to the couch and place a hot cup of coffee along with a bagel sandwich on the table. Stealing a glance at Dean's sleeping form my heart breaks all over again. His brow is furrowed. Is there no peace this man can find? Looking at my watch, a diamond tag hauer (a Christmas gift from Dean last year) I see it's only 7:05. He can rest for at least 10 more minutes. I leave quietly hoping he'll wake on his own so I can delay speaking to him just a little bit longer.

A/N - I wanted to go ahead and add the second chapter since it's already written. I really appreciate the reviews I've already received.


	3. Chapter 3

DPOV

Morning. The quiet shuffling of feet wakes me up and the first thing I see is my office door falling gently shut. I sit up and run my hands over my face trying to ignore my banging head. Do I smell coffee? Fuck, Danielle is a godsend. Danielle…fuck, shit, fuck, fuck, fuck! Besides the fact that I am her fucking boss, she deserves better than to get dragged into my fucking problems. God she smelled good last night though, I groan to myself. Her touch was more comforting that I ever could have imagined. If I hadn't been dealing with my Father's death, I'd have been tempted to run my hands under her dress and up the back of her thighs or I'd have had enough fucking sense not to touch my own damn assistant.

I can't shake the image of my hands rubbing & kneading the back of her thighs as I shower. I groan again but can only muster a semi hard on. The ghost of John Winchester strikes again. I'm going to have to have a discussion with her about last night. God I'm a fucking idiot. Danielle isn't the kind of girl who dates asshats like me. She has her shit together. She has her life together. I'm not even the kind of man who dates girls like her. I might have been once, before Lisa, but since then I've stuck to much _less committal_ relationships. I like them young, dumb, & beautiful. I'd taken a 20 year old out to dinner then my bed recently. Even I had to ask myself what in the hell I was doing then. 20? She's not even old enough to drink legally.

I dry off then step into the charcoal grey suit & navy button down shirt Danielle laid out for me. I was waiting on my computer to boot up while putting my tie on when someone knocked at the door. Might as well get this over with quick, I take a deep breath and grunt "Enter" but instead of Danielle, Uncle Bobby walks in. His graying beard is trimmed neatly and he's wearing a navy three piece suit. He reaches forward to shake my hand as he crosses the room. "I hope you don't mind, I told Danielle there was no need for her to see me in", Bobby starts. "Danielle?" I quip. Bobby looks at me incredulously. "Yeah, your secretary out front? Jesus son you do know her name, right?" "Of course I do, Bobby! I just wasn't aware you were on a first name basis with her as well." I retort. "Well she's actually contributed several innovation ideas to Reasearch & Development in the past few months", he explains. "She's got quite a fire in her, that one. One of her ideas might actually pan out into a whole new handgun model for us." I'm shocked. "Really? I had no idea."

Bobby's mood grows more somber. "That's not why I came by though, I needed to see how you were holding up…" "I'm fine, Bobby. I swear." I try to give a convincing smile but my jaw involuntarily clenches. "That's what I figured you'd say", Bobby scoffs as he rocks back on his heels a little. "You know you don't have to shoulder this alone. You have family who love you & are here for you." My jaw tenses again but I can't bring myself to argue with him. Not today. Not about this subject. I manage a small nod. We stare at each other for a moment before another small rapping breaks the silence. Danielle's small body slides in, "Mr. Winchester, the car is here to drive you to the wake." The viewing was to be held at my Father's own estate, and hour and a half outside the city. It was more than large enough to accommodate the hundreds of people I expected to show up to pay their respects. The funeral would be held at the local parish tomorrow.

Danielle stays in the doorway as Bobby shakes my hand again. "I'll see you there", he adds before leaving. Danielle turns to shut the door behind the both of them but I call out her name before she can close the door all the way. "About last night" I say looking dead in her eyes. "I…Mr. Winchester", she interjects. "Please don't…I already know. I'm truly sorry for crossing the professional line and I assure you it won't happen again. If you allow me to continue working for you that is." I'm shell shocked. She thinks this is her fault? All five foot seven, maybe 130 pounds of her took advantage of me? She's biting her lip and looking down. Obviously completely embarrassed by the situation. She's thrown me off. I can't even remember what I was going to say. "ummm" I stammer, "let's just put this behind us, ok? We've always had a friendly working relationship, right? I'm sure this won't cause a problem with your work." She smiles a little and nods. "The car is waiting", she adds while retreating back through the door.

I'm hit with an urgency now to let her know how much last night had helped me in truth. "Danielle?" she stops and turns again. I notice she's holding her breath. "Thank you" is all I can say but I hope she recognizes what I mean. She nods her head again then speaks "I'll be right behind you in my car on the way to the viewing. If you realize you need something, don't hesitate to call or message me." "That's ridiculous, Danielle", I cut in. We've always ridden together to functions during the work day. "Why would you drive your own car when there is room for 6 in mine? Ride with me and I'll have someone drive you back afterwards." She looks nervous again. "I thought you might need some alone time…" she explains. "I don't. I'm fine. Are you going to ride with me?" I say a little too harshly to be seen as friendly. A light "ok" is all she says.

We ride in the second row captain chairs, most of the way in a comfortable silence. I only then start to realize it's because I don't have to explain anything to her. I don't have to suffer through hundreds of questions about my Father because she knew him personally herself. I don't have to be asked the cliché work questions. She knows all my work. I don't even have to explain to her my favorite foods or my weird habits. She knows all of them. Not because I told her but because she's watched and learned. I feel something close to adoration for her in this moment.

She's on & off her phone finalizing arrangements with the caterer & florists…finalizing my Father's arrangements. I can't help but gratuitously look at her now, replaying last night's events in my mind. Hiding my gaze with a bowed head & my fingers rubbing the tension from a mock headache, I work my way up her body. Her legs are long and I bet smooth if I touched them. Her waist is small; her chest is rising & falling with her breaths. I linger my gaze here longer than a gentleman should. It'd take an idiot not to see she's beautiful and I'm king of them all. I should be concentrating on the business at hand, not ogling my assistant.

She suddenly turns and catches me off guard. Her eyes are kind and her voice shakes at first. "Your brother's flight is arriving at 5. Cas is having one of his guys pick him up. Cas is already at your Father's finishing the security setup." Castiel, Cas for short, is the head of my security. I'd trust that man with my life. With Sam's life, my little brother who was taller than me, a better man than me. He was kind & loyal & untainted. When he looked out at the world, he saw only the best it had to offer. Whereas Dad had molded me into being his replica, his heir, his soldier; Sam had been chosen to lead a simpler life. He was still in college and engaged to a beautiful blonde. I should be jealous that Sam was allowed to choose his own path but instead I felt something close to pride. Sam would be my sole responsibility from now on. "Your Father's casket will be set up in the main sitting room." She continues, "We're expecting over a couple hundred people this evening, double that tomorrow at St. Mary's." I nod at her but say nothing.

When we finally arrive, I step out of the car to cloudy skies. Danielle sighs contently next to me. "It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow" she says and I notice she is smiling. "You say that like it's a good thing", I comment to her. "Well…it's supposed to be. You've never heard that old wives tale?" I shake my head no & she continues, "If it rains the day of a funeral it means that person went to heaven. It's silly I know." "No, it's not" I interject. I want to say more but my words are stuck in my throat. I nod again and smile. She takes the cue and walks forward. I linger back long enough to jam back the gratefulness I felt to her down inside the black hole cavern in my chest.

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><p>AN - I finally understand why people are continually begging for reviews! I'm open to any comments/suggestions/criticisms anyone has. Thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - I realized I forgot to add the standard "I don't own any of this message" until now. I hope it goes without saying that I don't own Supernatural or Dean Winchester.

Again, I really appreciate those who have read, reviewed, or favorited! I hope there are some people out there besides myself who enjoy this story.

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><p>There's a flurry of activity when I step inside. John's home was built as a replica of the Governor's Palace in Virginia. Its beauty never fails to take my breath away. Mrs. Rhodes, the lead housekeeper, &amp; Cas meet me immediately. "All of the staff &amp; vendors have been security cleared by me personally. The 2nd &amp; 3rd floors are closed to guests though you &amp; Mrs. Rhodes will have access". "Thank you, Cas." I smile encouragingly at him. The only way he knows how to express his condolences is by doing his job flawlessly.<p>

"Come, Danielle" Mrs., Rhodes smiles & puts her arm around me to guide me towards the kitchen. "How have you been, Mrs. Rhodes?" I ask. "Danielle how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Kim and I'm ok. Staying busy has helped." Once we're away from others she leans in & whispers, "How is Dean holding up? I've been so worried about him." Her face is so kind. "You know how he is." I tell her. She's known him since he was a boy. "He's guarded with his emotions but I know he's hurting...a lot". My voice cracks a little. I can't speak of his pain without my own heart feeling like its breaking. "You are such a good girl. Dean's lucky to have you" she pats my cheek & I smile back at her. "Come on, staying busy might be best for you too".

Mrs. Rhodes & I are running back & forth directing the caterers and rearranging the furniture to allow for a better flow of people. Dean has resigned himself to his Father's office upstairs. Business at SPN Weapons stops for the death on no one, not even its founder. It's almost six when Cas stops me. "Sam Winchester is arriving in 5 minutes." I nod & ascend the stairs to inform Dean. The office door is open & I see Dean is sitting at his Father's desk holding a photo frame in his hands. His jaw is clenched as it often is when he's in deep thought. "Dean?" he looks up and we stare at each other silently for a moment. I blush & my eyes shoot to the floor for a moment "Your brother will be here in just a few minutes" he stands & puts his jacket back on. "Thank you".

We descend the staircase just as Sam walks in the door. "Sam!" Dean calls to direct his attention. They embrace shortly as men do with quick pats on their backs. It's obvious they're happy to see each other, happy to not have to bear the grief alone. I'm standing behind them when Dean introduces me, "Sam, this is my assistant Danielle." We shake hands. We've spoken on the phone several times but never actually met each other. "It's nice to finally meet you." I smile. He smiles back and I'm taken with how genuine it seems, "the pleasure is mine. I've heard a lot about you. Whatever they're paying you, it's not enough. Keeping Dean in line is one hell of a job" I laugh with him. "Hardy har har Sammy" Dean mocks Sam back.

The joking halts as the funeral home arrives with John's body. They delicately place his casket according to Mrs. Rhodes instructions & open the coffin for the family's approval. "Oh, John" I whisper and tears prick my eyes as I take in his form. Dean's head hangs down & the pain I see there causes the tears to finally fall over the brim. Silently he reaches in his jacket & hands me his handkerchief. The best thank you I can muster is a whisper, barely audible. Mrs. Rhodes is behind me sniffling now & I embrace her as Dean & Sam walk towards the casket. "Let's give them some time alone" I say and we sneak out the room shutting the entry doors behind us. When they reemerge minutes later Sam is wiping his eyes. Dean's arm is around him, pushing him forward but his face is stoic. Before I can even think of something to say Cas is announcing cars have started to enter the driveway. Dean & Sam take their place to receive people and i & the rest of the staff set off to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Hours pass. Faces pass. Oh the faces. I'm overwhelmed at the turn out. Half way through the night I had checked on the boys to see if they needed anything. The exhaustion showed clearly in Dean's eyes. Though I doubt anyone else could tell. Accepting the same condolences over & over, forcing a smile...my heart hangs heavy for them. As the last of the guests were leaving I brought a half empty tray of food into the kitchen and slumped onto a bar stool, crossing my arms on the kitchen island & laying my head in them for a moment. I jerk up hearing Mrs. Rhodes pour a glass of wine. "Here" she smiles & passes the red liquid towards me smiling. "Thank you" I sigh taking a large drink, then another. She laughs & tops me off then pours a 2nd glass. "Take this to Dean. He'll need it." she gives another small smile to me and I reach out & give her hand a gentle squeeze. Even in the silence I hear her worries for him.

I start walking to go find Dean. The doors to the area where John's body is are now closed off. I continue walking & I suddenly hear music, old blues music. I find Dean fiddling with the sound system in the library. I lean against the door & it creaks causing him to turn & catch me staring. "Hey" he smirks. "Hey yourself" I crack back at him. Ah, this is our normal relationship. Maybe all's not lost yet. I walk towards him; my arm outstretched to hand him the glass of Cabernet. "God, yes" he exclaims. "Sam's already gone to bed. He's worn out." "I bet" I say as I move to study the music collection on the shelves. "B.B. King is one of my favorites" & he looks at me befuddled. "You know who this is?" I chuckle "of course I know who this is! You forget I was born in Memphis, the birthplace of Rock-n-Roll & the Home of the Blues? ""Well, color me shocked" he laughingly retorts. "Dad loved the Blues. I grew up on this stuff" and his smile is dazzling. The guitar riff wails as we drink & talk about our favorite blues songs.

The cd changes on its own & Otis Redding echoes out the speakers. "Dance with me?" His voice is low now but his green eyes seem lighter & less pained, almost playful. One side of my mouth twists up in a smile as I look up at him suspiciously. He takes our now empty glasses & places them on the side table, and we saunter towards the middle of the rug. I'm unsure of how to proceed but he wraps his arm around my waist & I'm breathless for a moment marveling how strong he is. My right hand finds his left and I'm flush with him now moving to the music. He smells delicious and I try not to blush looking up at him. Butterflies somersault in my stomach & I relish in the ball of nerves that are tingling within me. He's leading our movements & lightly singing as he looks down at me with a cock grin on his lips. I tip my head all the way back and laugh at him and then he's laughing at himself too.

The music is starting to crescendo & Otis is begging for love and now we're moving against each other even closer. His fingers around my waist dig into my skin and the atmosphere in the room is intoxicating. I lean my head closer into his space, my temple lightly touching his jaw for a moment and I'm rewarded with his face lowering to my shoulder enough for me to feel his hot breathe & just a light graze of his lips across my shoulder, slowly moving up the side of my neck, stopping behind my ear and I'm turning my neck to give him better access silently pleading him to put his mouth on me. "Danielle?" he grunts lowly out and I recognize it as a question. A breathy "please" almost catches in my throat. We've stopped swaying and he drops his hand from mine & places it flat on my breastbone above my chest, his thumb around one side of my neck and his fingers wrapping around the other side. My hands are clutching his shoulders from behind.

I expect him to lick or lightly kiss me but instead he takes a large expanse of the skin between my neck & shoulder into his mouth with his teeth and closes his mouth on it. He's pulling at it & sucking it as it rolls through his teeth & out his lips and I'm sure my knees are going to give out. My nails are digging in his shoulders & a whimper escapes my lips. Then he runs his nose along my jaw line and I straighten my neck so we're face to face again. He can probably feel my labored breathing on his face. Peeking up at him I can see his eyes are closed, an internal struggle playing out on his face. Fuck that.

I shamelessly push my lips into his and snake my arms around his neck & in his hair pulling him into me hard, biting his lower lip. My moment of dominance is short lived as he rushes me to the wall pressing his weight into me. We're kissing & biting & he let's go a dark moan and i might quiet possibly love that sound. I'm hearing bells. No, quite literally the doorbell is ringing and he slowly pulls away from me. We're both trying to catch our breath & his forehead is pressed against mine. The doorbell rings again. "Go" I whisper to him & he turns & leaves without even looking at me. I'm cold with the loss of his body heat.

I steal a glance in the mirror, my face is flush & my lips are red & swollen. I'm walking towards the foyer when I first hear the yelling. I emerge from the shadows and see Dean and another man, barely 21. The stranger's eyes turn to me & Dean turns to face me as well. "Danielle, this is Adam….my half brother."


	5. Chapter 5

Danielle is my assistant Dean explains. I'm unsure how to greet Adam since Dean is obviously unhappy to see him but I'm aware John was his Father too. "Hello" and I extend my hand but instead of shaking it he brings it to his mouth & kisses my knuckles lightly. "Hello Danielle" he whispers against them. I'm shocked into immobility. "Enough" Dean growls & I turn to see the anger in his face. "Cas!" Dean yells & Cas appears from out of nowhere. Apparently, he had been surveying the situation this entire time. "Have someone drive Ms. Langston home now." Ms. Langston? Dean had never referred to me so coldly before. I start to speak but he faces me & it honestly scares me. "Just go!" he practically screams & I turn quickly & leave without a word.

I'm grateful for the darkness in the car that hides my tears as they silently fall. I pull Dean's handkerchief from my bag & run my fingers over his monogram. I'm a glutton for punishment. It's almost midnight when I get home to my loft. I strip my clothes off & fall into bed contemplating all that had transpired, when it hits me. Dean has a half brother, a half brother I had no clue existed. CEO's with mistresses is pretty common. There are even some whose wives are aware but turn a blind eye. John had always been seen as a man of dignity, respect. Dean wouldn't want this bombshell made public. I chastised myself internally for only considering my own hurt feelings earlier. Shame hits me again as well. There's a tiny flutter in my heart & I'm scared I'm falling for Dean Winchester.

DPOV

My dance & encounter with Danielle in the library had thrown me off kilter & like a fucking idiot I introduced Adam to her and told her truthfully his relation to me. My anger is directed more at myself than her. Cas knowing I could care less about. That man had been tortured for information in his previous employment and kept his mouth shut. I can hear Dad now; this is what happens when you get distracted. Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful and time is short. Keep your eye on the prize. Though now a days I'm more and more unsure what the prize is.

I assumed Adam might show his face at funeral tomorrow but i didn't think he'd have the audacity to show up here, at my Father's house, like he has some claim on it. "What are you doing here?" I ask trying to keep my temper in check. "Really Dean? I'm shocked. He was my father too." Adam retorts back. "I'm well aware of your blood line" I snap at him hoping he catches the subtle slight I made to his whore Mother.

Kate Milligan had been a nurse to my ailing mother before one day resigning out of the blue. 9 months later Adam was born, exactly 60 days after my Mother passed away. Dad hid his 2nd secret family from me for years. Twelve fucking years to be exact before one day at the office Kate called & the switch board operator punched her through to my private office line instead of dads. A one digit error turned my whole world upside down. Dad seemed to think he hadn't done anything wrong since neither Kate nor Adam had ever moved into the home he had shared with my Mother. My tirade on him came to an abrupt end when he took me by my collar & slammed me against a wall, stating he was my Father, he'd do as he pleased & would not hear another word about it. After that Dad became more lax in hiding his visits to Kate & his bastard. He never mentioned them out loud but ticket stubs to ball games would be found lying around after a weekend he'd been away. His laughter could be overheard through the doors of his office while speaking on the phone late at night. I found some pictures of Dad & his 2nd family laughing & cooking out in a backyard somewhere. I studied their faces looking for some explanation of what they held that Sam & I didn't that made Dad so carefree around them. Those pictures are the only reason I knew who the boy standing in front of me tonight was.

"I don't have time for games, Adam." I stared him down waiting for a decent reply. His friendly face turns serious. "I wanted you to know my mother & I will be attending tomorrow's service." I had expected Adam might show but not Kate. I needed a refresher in the proper etiquette for entertaining your Father's mistress & illegitimate son. "I don't expect any special treatment from you, Dean Winchester, but I will not tolerate any disrespect towards my Mother tomorrow." "Tolerate?" I retort. "Don't you dare show up here and tell me what you will & will not tolerate, Adam Milligan. I've known about the existence of you & your mother for almost a decade. If I had wanted to exchange pleasantries I would have done it before now. The funeral is open to the public so ANYONE is allowed to attend BUT if either one of you make a spectacle or show out of it I'll have you thrown out so quick your head will spin." Adam considered this for a moment then raised his chin defiantly "Have it your way, Dean" but before he shuts the door on his way back out he turns, "Just so you know, I really did love the old man" and he looks at me like he expects something. "Get out of my house."

Danielle POV

I briefly consider not attending the funeral today but opt instead to drive straight to , eliminating any chance I'd have to speak to Dean. The church is still quiet & mostly empty when I arrive. I decide to take advantage of the stillness here while I can, walking to the grotto on the west side of the church and kneeling before the Shrine to the Holy Mother. Her face is serene and her arms are angled down with her palms open, distributing her graces upon the world. I pull my rosary out of its hiding place where its fallen between my breasts and up off my neck. Holding it in my hands, my head bowed, I pray for John, I pray for his soul, I pray for Mrs. Rhodes, I pray for Sam but most of all I pray for Dean. When I finally raise my head I feel eyes upon me. Slowly turning I see Dean paused and looking in my direction. He says nothing and walks away. I look up to the heavens and whisper, "a little help here, please?"

The service is beautiful and Father David speaks kindly of John. There are so many flower arrangements surrounding and piled on the altar. I sit at the back of the church and notice Adam is sitting in the last pew on the opposite side of the church. His arms are wrapped around an older woman and my heart pounds faster for a second. Could this be Adam's mother, John's secret lover?

Walking towards the grave side service, the skies finally start to let loose the rain I predicted yesterday. I hear some moans from people for whom the rain will spoil their day but I inhale the smell of it in, finding relief in that maybe my prayers for John were heard.

It seems so surreal as the pallbearers lower John's casket onto the metal platform over the already dug grave. Im standing far back from the crowd of people. I can barely hear Father David as he speaks again of heaven and life everlasting but I feel as if my soul has left my body for a moment. Then people are coming up to Sam & Dean, shaking their hands again then leaving towards their cars content in their actions of attending the funeral... but will they think of John again after this day? Eventually only stragglers are left and the tent covering the family is taken down. I can see Dean, Sam, & Mrs. Rhodes standing together. She's turning her neck looking around until she spots me. She motions for me to join them but I shake my head no. They stand on silently, me yards on yards away watching as John's body is lowered into the ground. The rain is falling harder now. Once the small backhoe has pounded the dirt into a mound I see Sam & Mrs. Rhodes turn to leave. They turn to Dean and I see him wave them off, wanting to stay longer. They walk to me and I take Sam in a tight embrace. "Thank you for everything you've done, Danielle." He says lightly in my ear. "Come home with us", Mrs. Rhodes pleads. "In a moment", I tell her encouragingly. She turns to look at Dean again then back at me and I'm crying for the first time today. "Ok." She gives a small smile.

The rain continues to come down and it's just Dean and I in the cemetery though I'm not sure if he is aware I am here. He is standing in front of his Father's grave, umbrella in hand not moving at all. Suddenly I hear him scream and drop to his knees in the muddy earth. He's let go of the umbrella and the rain is pouring down on him. He's still screaming into the air and his fists are pounding the ground in front of him. His grief finally too much to bear. Before I know what I'm doing I'm running towards him, letting go of my own umbrella since it slows me down and not turning back for my heels as my feet step out of them with my first strides. When I reach Dean I fall to my knees by his side and he looks up then grabs me by my waist pulling me into his lap. We're holding onto each other and we're both sobbing. Him for his dead father, me for his pain. "God damn him!" he screams as he clenches my sides painfully but I say nothing about it.

When his fury finally subsides he pulls me back to look in my face. We're soaking wet, our clothes clinging to our bodies and my hair is matted down. Thunder claps as the rain keeps pouring. "Are you ready to go home?" I ask softly blinking water droplets from my lashes and all he does is nod. We walk silently, hand in hand to pick up my discarded shoes and umbrella and the rain & wind is picking up even more now. Cas appears with another umbrella guiding us to the hummer and our hands leave each other. The closeness of our shared moment leaves me feeling awkward & unsure of where we stand. I don't know what to say in the silence of the car. I turn my head to look out the window wishing he would reach for me now but he doesn't.


End file.
